Forget the tinfoil hat, I think Dungeekin may be onto something with his conspiracy theory. I wouldn't put it past either of them.
...To bring down British businesses. Gordon Brown has failed to support BA workers who don't want to strike for fear of offending his union paymasters. It is time to replace the spineless coward.
* In the run up to the long awaited general election The Red Rag will be spoofing new campaign posters as well as a number of iconic ones from previous campaigns. Please feel free to reproduce them and distribute them throughout the campaign.
I have now completed my review of the latest labour market data from the ONS. Amonsgt the many shocking facts is:
Private sector employment down
Public sector employment up
Lowest employment rate since November 1996 - 72.2%
Highest Inactivity Rate ever 8.16 Million
I had assumed earlier that the 8.16 million includes the unemployed, it appears it does not they are a further 2.45 million making a total of 10.61 million people of working age who are without work.
When Conservative MP Theresa may challenged Labour MP Jim Night on the Daily Politics about the 8.16 million inactive people of working age he implied they are mostly students. They are not. This figure includes 2.31 million students, which although the highest figure since comparable records began is only a little over a quarter of the total.
Full review here
One of Gordon Brown's senior officials at No 10 is entirely paid by the Unite trade union, the Standard reveals today.
Clare Moody, a national officer for the trade union behind the BA cabin crew strike has been given a desk in the Prime Minister's powerful political office that deals with policy development and government relations.
Although she works in the heart of Downing Street, her salary and pension are “100 per cent” met by the giant trade union.
Figures have been released today which claim to show that the number of people unemployed in the UK has fallen and show a jobless rate of 7.8% with total unemployment standing at 2.45 million for the three months to January. So down 33,000 on the figure for the previous three months.
However a quick look at the ONS data reveals the smoke and mirrors. The number of people in work actually fell in the quarter, by 54,000 to 28.86 million. So how is it that both the number of people in work and the number of people out of work fell, did I miss a plague, a famine, a third world war? For only a massive reduction in the population could cause this surely.
Well no actually the ONS has the answer "unemployment and employment were both falling because of a rising number of people being classed as economically inactive. This category includes students and those on long-term sick leave, as well as those who have stopped looking for a job."
Ah, so that's it, unemployment has fallen because people have stopped looking for a job. FFS!
Long-term unemployment, covering those out of work for more than a year, rose by 61,000 to 687,000 a massive quarterly rise of almost 10%!
The lesson is - with this government - always read the fine print.
The inactivity rate was 21.5 per cent and there were 8.16 million working age inactive people.
UPDATE More gems from the ONS report
The employment rate for the three months to January 2010 was 72.2 per cent. The rate is down
0.3 on the quarter and it has not been lower since the three months to November 1996.
The number of inactive people of working age increased by 149,000 over the quarter to reach a record high of 8.16 million. I had assumed earlier that this 8.16 million included the unemployed, it appears it does not they are a further 2.45 million making a total of 10.61 million people of working age who are without work.
The number of people in public sector employment was 6.10 million in December 2009, up 7,000 from September 2009. The number of people in private sector employment was 22.76 million, down 61,000 from September 2009.
When Conservative MP Theresa may challenged Labour MP Jim Night on the Daily Politics about the 8.16 million inactive people of working age he implied they are mostly students. They are not. This figure includes 2.31 million students, which although the highest figure since comparable records began is only a little over a quarter of the total.
With just 50 days to go until we can rid the nation of this useless government here is my latest list of Labour failures. They come from just the last two days and we have had thirteen years of this. Don't put us through another five years hard labour.
50) Scale of youth crime suppressed until after election
51) No university places for 50,000 with good grades
52) A quarter of NHS trusts failing to meet hygiene standards for protecting patients against hospital bugs.
53) Climate change 'exaggerated' in government adverts
54) In-fighting over budget rather than dealing with economic crisis.
55) Sterling falls after EU warning over Labour debt plans
56) Labour ditches 'dog tax' after furious backlash from pet owners
57) Ordinary motorists are being legally mugged by the price of petrol with 70% fuel duty
58) Government fails to stand up to Unite paymasters in BA strike
59) Government attempting to block human rights of soldiers
